Mineral Evolution Database
Created and maintained by the Mineral Evolution Project in partnership with RRUFF and mindat.
Mineral locality data provided by mindat.org



The Mineral Evolution database is currently under development.

The goal of this page is to present localities at which the mineral is found, and estimates of the oldest possible geologic age of the minerals at these localities.


Locality Name:
Vara Valley, La Spezia Province, Liguria, Italy

Oldest recorded age at locality: 201
Youngest recorded age at locality: 23

mindat Locality ID: 213538
mindat URL: http://www.mindat.org/loc-213538.html

Tectonic Settings:

Total number of sublocalities beneath "Vara Valley, La Spezia Province, Liguria, Italy": 2
Total number of bottom-level sublocalities: 1

Number of Child Localities: 1
Child Localities:
Borghetto Vara

Latitude: 44°11'55"N
Longitude: 9°41'59"E
Decimal Degree (lat, lon): 44.198611111111,9.6997222222222
AThis mineral is Anthropogenic.
GThis mineral is directly dated.
BThis mineral is reported as having this age.
YThis mineral is using an age reported as an element mineralization period.
OThis mineral is using an age calculated from all data at the locality.
RThe age displayed for this mineral originates from a different, non-child locality.
PThe age displayed for this mineral is the range of ages for this mineral at all of this locality's children.
This mineral's age has not yet been recorded.

This Mineral list contains entries from this locality, including sub-localities. Minerals in bold are reported by mindat.org as occurring directly at this locality, and do not occur at any children (sublocalities) of this locality.

Elements at this locality, including sub-localities: Al As B Ba C Ca Ce Cl Cu F Fe H K La Li Mg Mn Na Ni O Pb S Si Sr Ti V 

Elements from minerals reported directly at this locality: 

Structural Groups for minerals in this locality: 
AdeliteAllophaneAmphiboleApophylliteAragoniteBaryteBrackebuschiteBrauniteBrewsteriteBrookite
CalciteCerchiaraiteChalcopyriteChloriteClayClinozoisiteCoronaditeCorundumDescloiziteDiaspore
EpidoteFeldsparGarnetHarmotomeMalachiteMicaMilariteMilleriteNoneNot in a structural group
OlivineOxalatePectolitePentlanditePlancheitePyritePyroxeneQuartzRhodoniteRuizite
RutileSerpentineSmectite-vermiculiteSpinelTalcTitaniteTourmalineVesuvianiteZircon

94 IMA Minerals at location:
Aegirine  (*)Albite  (*)Almandine  (*)Anatase  (*)Andradite  (*)
Ankerite  (*)Aragonite  (*)Balestraite  (*)Baryte  (*)Bornite  (*)
Braunite  (*)Brewsterite-Ba  (*)Brookite  (*)Calcite  (*)Caoxite  (*)
Caryopilite  (*)Celadonite  (*)Cerchiaraite-(Fe)  (*)Cerchiaraite-(Mn)  (*)Chalcopyrite  (*)
Chamosite  (*)Chrysocolla  (*)Chrysotile  (*)Clinochlore  (*)Cryptomelane  (*)
Demagistrisite  (*)Diopside  (*)Djurleite  (*)Dravite  (*)Epidote  (*)
Ferroceladonite  (*)Fluorapophyllite-(K)  (*)Gamagarite  (*)Ganophyllite  (*)Graphite  (*)
Groutite  (*)Harmotome  (*)Hausmannite  (*)Hematite  (*)Hollandite  (*)
Huntite  (*)Hydroxyapophyllite-(K)  (*)Ilmenite  (*)Lavinskyite  (*)Macfallite  (*)
Magnesio-arfvedsonite  (*)Magnesiovesuvianite  (*)Magnetite  (*)Malachite  (*)Manganiceladonite  (*)
Manganite  (*)Manganvesuvianite  (*)Millerite  (*)Montmorillonite  (*)Mozartite  (*)
Muscovite  (*)Namansilite  (*)Nambulite  (*)Neotocite  (*)Noelbensonite  (*)
Norrishite  (*)Orientite  (*)Orthoclase  (*)Pectolite  (*)Pentlandite  (*)
Phlogopite  (*)Piemontite  (*)Piemontite-(Sr)  (*)Potassic-magnesio-arfvedsonite  (*)Pyrite  (*)
Pyrobelonite  (*)Pyrolusite  (*)Pyrope  (*)Pyroxmangite  (*)Quartz  (*)
Rhodochrosite  (*)Rhodonite  (*)Richterite  (*)Ruizite  (*)Rutile  (*)
Saponite  (*)Serandite  (*)Siderite  (*)Stetindite-(Ce)  (*)Sugilite  (*)
Talc  (*)Tangeite  (*)Tephroite  (*)Tiragalloite  (*)Titanite  (*)
Todorokite  (*)Tokyoite  (*)Wakefieldite-(La)  (*)Weddellite  (*)
Mineral nameStructural GroupsIMA FormulaMax Age (Ma)Min Age (Ma)# of Sublocalities containing mineralLOCALITY IDs, not mindat ids# of localities containing mineral
Aegirine  (*)PyroxeneNaFe3+Si2O6201231696081022
Albite  (*)FeldsparNa(AlSi3O8)201231696088803
Almandine  (*)GarnetFe2+3Al2(SiO4)3201231696082353
Anatase  (*)Not in a structural groupTiO2201231696082162
Andradite  (*)GarnetCa3Fe3+2(SiO4)3201231696081534
Ankerite  (*)NoneCa(Fe2+,Mg)(CO3)2201231696083092
Aragonite  (*)AragoniteCa(CO3)201231696083250
Balestraite  (*)MicaKLi2V5+Si4O1280801696081
Baryte  (*)BaryteBa(SO4)2012316960811547
Bornite  (*)NoneCu5FeS4201231696085516
Braunite  (*)BrauniteMn2+Mn3+6O8(SiO4)20123169608483
Brewsterite-Ba  (*)BrewsteriteBa(Al2Si6)O16·5H2O201231696089
Brookite  (*)BrookiteTiO220123169608700
Calcite  (*)CalciteCa(CO3)2012316960827770
Caoxite  (*)OxalateCa(C2O4)·3H2O201231696081
Caryopilite  (*)Clay SerpentineMn2+3Si2O5(OH)42012316960883
Celadonite  (*)Mica ClayKMgFe3+Si4O10(OH)220123169608309
Cerchiaraite-(Fe)  (*)CerchiaraiteBa4Fe3+4(Si4O12)O2(OH)4Cl2[Si2O3(OH)4]80801696086
Cerchiaraite-(Mn)  (*)CerchiaraiteBa4Mn3+4(Si4O12)O2(OH)4Cl2[Si2O3(OH)4]201231696082
Chalcopyrite  (*)ChalcopyriteCuFeS22012316960827198
Chamosite  (*)Chlorite Clay(Fe2+,Mg,Al,Fe3+)6(Si,Al)4O10(OH,O)820123169608577
Chrysocolla  (*)Allophane(Cu2-xAlx)H2-xSi2O5(OH)4·nH2O201231696083531
Chrysotile  (*)Serpentine ClayMg3Si2O5(OH)420123169608951
Clinochlore  (*)Chlorite ClayMg5Al(AlSi3O10)(OH)8201231696081756
Cryptomelane  (*)CoronaditeK(Mn4+7Mn3+)O1620123169608599
Demagistrisite  (*)Not in a structural groupBaCa2Mn3+4(Si3O10)(Si2O7)(OH)4·3H2O201231696081
Diopside  (*)PyroxeneCaMgSi2O6201231696084135
Djurleite  (*)NoneCu31S1620123169608300
Dravite  (*)TourmalineNaMg3Al6(Si6O18)(BO3)3(OH)3(OH)20123169608648
Epidote  (*)Epidote ClinozoisiteCa2(Al2Fe3+)[Si2O7][SiO4]O(OH)201231696088173
Ferroceladonite  (*)MicaKFe2+Fe3+Si4O10(OH)22012316960810
Fluorapophyllite-(K)  (*)ApophylliteKCa4Si8O20F·8H2O20123169608303
Gamagarite  (*)BrackebuschiteBa2Fe3+(VO4)2(OH)2012316960810
Ganophyllite  (*)Clay(K,Na)xMn2+6(Si,Al)10O24(OH)4·nH2O (x = 1-2; n = 7-11)2012316960845
Graphite  (*)NoneC201231696082812
Groutite  (*)DiasporeMn3+O(OH)2012316960872
Harmotome  (*)HarmotomeBa2(Si12Al4)O32·12H2O20123169608290
Hausmannite  (*)SpinelMn2+Mn3+2O420123169608350
Hematite  (*)CorundumFe2O32012316960814640
Hollandite  (*)CoronaditeBa(Mn4+6Mn3+2)O1620123169608243
Huntite  (*)Not in a structural groupCaMg3(CO3)42012316960869
Hydroxyapophyllite-(K)  (*)ApophylliteKCa4Si8O20(OH,F)·8H2O2012316960885
Ilmenite  (*)CorundumFe2+Ti4+O3201231696085433
Lavinskyite  (*)PlancheiteK(LiCu)Cu6(Si4O11)2(OH)4201231696082
Macfallite  (*)NoneCa2Mn3+3(SiO4)(Si2O7)(OH)3201231696086
Magnesio-arfvedsonite  (*)AmphiboleNaNa2(Mg4Fe3+)Si8O22(OH)22012316960879
Magnesiovesuvianite  (*)VesuvianiteCa19Mg(Al11Mg)Si18O69(OH)9201231696082
Magnetite  (*)SpinelFe2+Fe3+2O42012316960814899
Malachite  (*)MalachiteCu2(CO3)(OH)22012316960812537
Manganiceladonite  (*)Clay MicaKMgMn3+Si4O10(OH)2201231696081
Manganite  (*)RutileMn3+O(OH)20123169608770
Manganvesuvianite  (*)VesuvianiteCa19Mn3+Al10Mg2(SiO4)10(Si2O7)4O(OH)9201231696084
Millerite  (*)MilleriteNiS201231696081066
Montmorillonite  (*)Clay Smectite-vermiculite(Na,Ca)0.3(Al,Mg)2Si4O10(OH)2·nH2O201231696081508
Mozartite  (*)AdeliteCaMn3+(SiO4)(OH)201231696084
Muscovite  (*)Mica ClayKAl2(Si3Al)O10(OH)22012316960817380
Namansilite  (*)NoneNaMn3+Si2O6201231696088
Nambulite  (*)RhodoniteLiMn2+4Si5O14(OH)2012316960812
Neotocite  (*)Allophane(Mn,Fe)SiO3·H2O (?)20123169608186
Noelbensonite  (*)NoneBaMn3+2Si2O7(OH)2·H2O201231696086
Norrishite  (*)MicaKLiMn3+2Si4O10O2201231696085
Orientite  (*)NoneCa8Mn3+10(SiO4)3(Si3O10)3(OH)10·4H2O201231696088
Orthoclase  (*)FeldsparK(AlSi3O8)201231696082349
Pectolite  (*)PectoliteNaCa2Si3O8(OH)20123169608363
Pentlandite  (*)Pentlandite(Ni,Fe)9S8201231696081512
Phlogopite  (*)Mica ClayKMg3(AlSi3O10)(OH)2201231696082273
Piemontite  (*)EpidoteCa2(Al2Mn3+)[Si2O7][SiO4]O(OH)20123169608260
Piemontite-(Sr)  (*)Clinozoisite EpidoteCaSr(Al2Mn3+)[Si2O7][SiO4]O(OH)2012316960812
Potassic-magnesio-arfvedsonite  (*)AmphiboleKNa2(Mg4Fe3+)Si8O22(OH)22012316960810
Pyrite  (*)PyriteFeS22012316960839462
Pyrobelonite  (*)DescloizitePbMn2+VO4(OH)2012316960821
Pyrolusite  (*)RutileMnO2201231696083106
Pyrope  (*)GarnetMg3Al2(SiO4)320123169608341
Pyroxmangite  (*)NoneMn2+SiO320123169608147
Quartz  (*)QuartzSiO22012316960861156
Rhodochrosite  (*)CalciteMn(CO3)201231696081711
Rhodonite  (*)RhodoniteCaMn3Mn(Si5O15)20123169608969
Richterite  (*)AmphiboleNa(NaCa)Mg5Si8O22(OH)220123169608148
Ruizite  (*)RuiziteCa2Mn3+2Si4O11(OH)4·2H2O201231696086
Rutile  (*)RutileTiO2201231696085614
Saponite  (*)Clay Smectite-vermiculite(Ca,Na)0.3(Mg,Fe)3(Si,Al)4O10(OH)2·4H2O20123169608301
Serandite  (*)PectoliteNaMn2+2Si3O8(OH)2012316960838
Siderite  (*)CalciteFe(CO3)201231696086417
Stetindite-(Ce)  (*)ZirconCe(SiO4)201231696083
Sugilite  (*)MilariteKNa2Fe3+2(Li3Si12)O302012316960815
Talc  (*)Clay TalcMg3Si4O10(OH)2201231696083337
Tangeite  (*)AdeliteCaCu(VO4)(OH)2012316960860
Tephroite  (*)OlivineMn2+2(SiO4)20123169608240
Tiragalloite  (*)NoneMn2+4As5+Si3O12(OH)2012316960815
Titanite  (*)TitaniteCaTi(SiO4)O201231696084899
Todorokite  (*)None(Na,Ca,K,Ba,Sr)1-x(Mn,Mg,Al)6O12·3-4H2O20123169608433
Tokyoite  (*)BrackebuschiteBa2Mn3+(VO4)2OH201231696089
Wakefieldite-(La)  (*)ZirconLaVO4201231696083
Weddellite  (*)OxalateCa(C2O4)·2H2O2012316960832


Locality Notes from all Ages at Locality:
Age IDLocality Notes
Michelle_0036Veins cutting Mn-Ba vein rich cherts
Michelle_545Cerchiaraite-(Fe) occurs in small fractures and veinlets within the metacherts of a Jurassic ophiolitic sequence.


5 Ages assigned to this locality:

Excel IDMax Age (Ma)Min Age (Ma)Age as listed in referenceDating MethodAge InterpretPrioritized?Sample SourceSample NumRun NumAge from other LocalityDated MineralMinerals explicitely stated as having this ageAge applies to these ElementsMinDat Locality IDDated Locality (Max Age)Location as listed in referenceReferenceReference DOIReference IDAge Notes
Alexandra-0110201145Jurassic Age of rocks     Mn4430Cerchiara Mine, Borghetto Vara, Vara Valley, La Spezia Province, Liguria, ItalyCerchiara MineBindi et al. (2013)10.1180/minmag.2013.077.4.07MM77_475 
Alexandra-011110023Late Cretaceous - Early Cenozoic Age of metamorphism     Mn4430Cerchiara Mine, Borghetto Vara, Vara Valley, La Spezia Province, Liguria, ItalyCerchiara MineBindi et al. (2013)10.1180/minmag.2013.077.4.07MM77_475 
Grew_Li_2019_0003808080      Balestraite 4430Cerchiara Mine, Borghetto Vara, Vara Valley, La Spezia Province, Liguria, ItalyCerchiara mine, Eastern Liguria, ItalyCabella et al. (1998) TM2_1 
Michelle_003610023Late Cretaceous - Early CenozoicstratigraphyAge of vein mineralization/metamorphism      4430Cerchiara Mine, Borghetto Vara, Vara Valley, La Spezia Province, Liguria, ItalyCerchiara MineBasso et al. (1997) NJM2_84 
Michelle_545808080 Age of tectonometamorphic overprinting    Cerchiaraite-(Fe) 4430Cerchiara Mine, Borghetto Vara, Vara Valley, La Spezia Province, Liguria, ItalyCerchiara MineKampf et al. (2013) MM77_69Age of secondary hydrothermal event, related to re-equilibration of the ophiolitic sequences during tectonometamorphic overprinting

SampleSource LocalityReference URL
R060936Cerchiara Mine, Borghetto Vara, Vara Valley, La Spezia Province, Liguria, Italyhttps://rruff.info/R060936

All locality data graciously provided by mindat.org

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